The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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18 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN t didn't take much persuading for Dave Doeren to get on board. In a brief conversation with NC State athletics director Boo Corrigan, one in which he was asked if he'd be willing to play a game in Brazil, the school's 13th-year head foot- ball coach had a quick response. "Hell, yes," Doeren recalled telling his boss. Of course, there was more to the de- cision-making process, including ef- forts to ensure that player safety was the utmost priority when it came to the venue, but NC State will make history when it opens the 2026 season with the first-ever college football game in South America. The Wolfpack is set to play Virginia on Aug. 29, 2026, at Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in an ACC contest dubbed "College Football Brasil." "What a great opportunity," Doeren said. "I've been coaching 32 years in college football, and I've never been out of the country to coach a game. It is a unique opportunity for these guys. I'm so excited for them and thankful that Boo wanted to do it." NC State and Virginia join North Car- olina and TCU, which are set to open the season in Dublin, Ireland, in the two in- ternational football games of the 2026 season. "We're excited about the opportunity to play a game in a beautiful, world- renowned city like Rio de Janeiro and to bring American football to another continent," Corrigan said. "It's definitely a unique situation to play a road game versus Virginia in Brazil, but it should be an unforgettable experience." While the game was a no-brainer deci- sion for NC State to join, the process took a couple months to nail down. Athlete Advantage, a college athletics marketing firm based in Kentucky, was looking for two teams to pair together in the first- ever game in Brazil. The Pack was on board rather quickly, but since the game was originally scheduled to be played at Virginia, the Cavaliers had to agree to give up a home game. Eventually, Athlete Advantage was able to make the international game work for the Cavaliers. Their decision to par- ticipate opened the pathway for the two sides to make history. NC State deputy athletics director I Rio de Janeiro will be the site of the first college football game ever played in South America when NC State and Virginia meet on Aug. 29, 2026, at Nilton Santos Stadium. PHOTO BY R.M. NUNES/ISTOCK SOUTHERN EXPOSURE NC State Will Make History When It Opens The 2026 Season In Brazil